The solar energy industry is expanding at a rapid pace. Much of that expansion is due to increases in residential and small commercial photovoltaic (PV) installations. Increasingly these installations are directly connected to the utility grid without the use of batteries. Inverters are the power electronics equipment that converts DC electricity produced by PV panels (collectively a PV array) into AC required by the grid.
Thermal requirements are a major element in the design of inverters. An inverter's output power rating is often determined by insulation ratings and other thermal limitations. Thus, inverters are often designed to closely approach these limitations in order to get the most out of a given piece of hardware. Furthermore, inverters are often located on residential structures and therefore must not pose any significant fire risk. It would be advantageous to provide an inverter with redundant thermal protection systems limiting the risk of damage to the inverter and the risk of fire.